Maggie Gyllenhaal talks about the discoveries of first-time motherhood.

Maggie, who is married to actor Peter Sarsgard and mom to three-year-old Ramona, says that you can't be prepared for being a parent for the first time. “There’s no way to prepare for the challenges, the immense joys, the surprises, the disappointments and the shocks. Your heart just rips open.”

Maggie is currently starring in the film "Nanny McPhee Returns". She shared what she feels is the most important message of the movie: "It teaches you how to manage the unmanageable, and accept that you can’t be a perfect mother all the time,” she explains. “If you try, it will bring you to your knees.”

Ann Monroe (aka Maureen Smith) is a Santa Monica based writer and editor who drives her friends and family crazy with her non-stop love for wordsmithing & humor. Her relentless passion for writing, design, research and travel has steered her into many life adventures ranging from writing to winemaking to real estate project development.